JEDDAH, 9 May 2008 — The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) plans to establish 200 new industrial institutes in various parts of the country as part of its efforts to train young Saudis to take up various industrial jobs currently done by guest workers.
“The new institutes will play a big role in providing training to young Saudis to take up industrial jobs and reduce pressure on general and university education,” said Dr. Ali ibn Nasser Al-Ghafees, governor of the corporation.
Over the years, the Kingdom has been making huge budget allocations for education and training, and has this year set aside SR105 billion, which accounts for a quarter of the total budget.
While approving the budget that projected expenditures at SR410 billion, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said more than a quarter of the budget has been set aside for human resources development, including higher education and vocational training.
Special allocations have also been made to train teachers, develop academic curricula and improve education atmosphere, with SR39 billion set aside for building schools, universities, training centers and institutes.
Al-Ghafees said there are now 60 industrial institutes dotted across the country providing training to students who have completed intermediate school. He did not say when and where the new institutes would be established.
However, analysts believe the new institutes would be built quickly to meet growing job market requirements. The government has set aside SR10 billion from previous budget surpluses for manpower training projects.
Al-Ghafees emphasized the government’s desire to forge partnerships with the private sector. “TVTC is ready to meet the training requirements of private companies,” he said, referring to its cooperation with General Motors.
The corporation currently offers more than 1,400 training programs with the support of international expertise. “We also try to develop the capabilities of our trainers by reaching cooperation agreements with developed countries,” he said.
The corporation has signed agreements for cooperation in technical education and vocational training during King Abdullah’s visits to different European and Asian countries, including Britain, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore.
In a previous statement, Al-Ghafees disclosed plans to establish 100 automobile training institutes in association with General Motors. The TVTC has concluded agreements with Alsalam Aircraft Company to establish an institute for aircraft maintenance. It has opened another institute for construction industry in Riyadh in cooperation with Saudi Oger. Saudi Binladen has set up similar institutes in Jeddah and Makkah.
Last July, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal laid the foundation stone of the Saudi Electronics and Home Appliances Institute in Dahban, outside Jeddah, to train young Saudis in electronics.
The institute will be equipped with the latest technology of international specifications with advanced teaching techniques required for maintenance or repair of electronics and home appliances.
“These new projects highlight the growing cooperation between the government and the private sector in setting up institutes to train Saudis for technical and mechanical jobs,” Al-Ghafees said.
The TVTC has also established or expanded more than 250 technical colleges, higher technical institutes for girls, and professional training institutes across the Kingdom. “We are striving to enter into strategic partnerships with international training establishments and with Saudi private sector in running various technical colleges and institutes,” Ghafees said.
